PARLARE ALL’UNIVERSITÀ: UN’ANALISI PRAGMALINGUISTICA DEI COLLOQUI TRA DOCENTI E STUDENTI ITALOFONI E INTERNAZIONALI

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54103/2037-3597/23829

Abstract

La conversazione tra studenti e docenti è un tipo di discorso istituzionale, caratterizzato da un’asimmetria relazionale, basata sui ruoli sociali e sulla diversa distribuzione del sapere. Questo studio si occupa del livello di analisi pragmalinguistico, concentrandosi sulla formulazione dell’atto linguistico di richiesta. Lo studio presenta dati su come gli studenti universitari formulano le richieste e su come le modificano oralmente quando parlano con un professore. Un totale di 398 minuti di conversazione, 92 prodotti da parlanti nativi italiani (PN) e 196 eseguiti da parlanti non nativi italiani (PNN), sono stati analizzati in relazione al tipo e alle prospettive di richiesta, alla quantità e al tipo di mitigazione. I risultati dello studio mostrano che sia gli studenti italiani che quelli internazionali tendono a organizzare conversativamente le richieste secondo scelte preferenziali, in termini di strategie, prospettive e mitigazione delle richieste, riflettendo l'asimmetria dei ruoli studente/insegnante. Tuttavia, le performance degli studenti internazionali sono caratterizzate da fenomeni di verbosità.

 

Speaking at university: a pragmalinguistic analysis of conversations between professors and Italian-speaking and international students

The conversation between students and professors is a type of institutional talk, characterized by relational asymmetry, based on social roles and different distribution of knowledge. This study concerns with the pragmalinguistic level of analysis, focusing on the formulation of the linguistic act of request. The study presents data on how academic students formulate requests and how they orally modify them when they talk with a professor. A total of 398 minutes of conversation, 192 produced by Italian native speakers (PN) and 196 performed by Italian non-native speakers (PNN), were analyzed with regard to request type and perspectives, amount and type of mitigation. Findings of the study show that both Italian and international students tend to conversationally organize requests according to preferential choices, in terms of the strategies, perspectives and mitigation of requests, reflecting the asymmetry of student/teacher roles. Nevertheless, the performances of international students are characterized by verbosity phenomena.

 

References

Achiba M. (2003), Learning to request in a second language. A study of child interlanguage pragmatics, Multilingual Matters LTD, Clevedon.

Agar M. (1985), “Institutional discourse”, in Text and Talk, 5, pp. 147-168.

Alcón-Soler E. (2002), “Practice opportunities and pragmatic change in a second language context: the case of requests”, in Estudios de lingüística inglesa aplicada, 3, pp. 123-138.

Alcón-Soler E., Martínez‐Flor A. (eds.) (2008), Investigating pragmatics in foreign language learning, teaching and testing, Multilingual Matters, Bristol (UK).

Alcón-Soler E. (2013), “Mitigating E-mail Requests in Teenagers’ First and Second Language Academic Cyber-consultation”, in Multilingua, 32, pp. 779-799.

Andersen R. W (1984), “The one-to-one principle in interlanguage construction”, in Language Learning, 34, pp. 77-85.

Ballarin E. (2017), L’italiano accademico: uno studio sulla glottodidattica dell’italiano lingua di studio all’università a studenti in mobilità internazionale, Edizioni Accademiche Italiane, Saarbrueken.

Bardovi-Harlig K. et al. (1991), “Developing pragmatic awareness: Closing the conversation”, in ELT Journal, 45, pp. 4-15

Bardovi-Harlig K., Hartford B. S. (1990), “Congruence in native and nonnative conversations: status balance in the academic advising session”, in Language Learning, 40, pp. 467-501.

Bardovi-Harlig K., Hartford B. S. (1996), “‘At your earliest convenience’: Written student requests to faculty”, in Bouton L. F. (ed.), Pragmatics and Language Learning, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Division of English as an International Language, pp. 55-69.

Barron A. (2003), Acquisition in Interlanguage Pragmatics. Learning how to do things with words in a study abroad context, John Benjamins, Amsterdam.

Bazzanella C., Caffi C., Sbisà M. (1991), “Scalar dimensions of illocutionary force”, in Zagar I. Z. (ed.), Speech acts. Fiction or reality?, IPRA distribution Center for Jugoslavia, Ljubljana, pp. 63-76.

Berruto G. (2003), “Sul parlante nativo (di italiano)”, in Radatz H., Schlosser R. (eds.), Donum grammaticorum. Festschrift fur Harro Stammerjohann, Niemeyer, Tübingen, pp. 1-14.

Biesenbach-Lucas S. (2002), How’s tomorrow? Pragmatic features of student requests for appointments, paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Salt Lake City, UT.

Biesenbach-Lucas S. (2004), Speech acts in email: A new look at pragmatic competence, paper presentedat the Annual Convention of the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Portland, OR.

Biesenbach-Lucas S. (2006), “Making requests in e-mail: Do cyber-consultations entail directness? Toward onventions in a new medium”, in Bardovi-Harlig K., Felix-Brasdefer J. C., Alwiya S. O. (eds.), Pragmatics & Language Learning, 11, pp. 81-108, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, pp. 81-108.

Biesenbach-Lucas S. (2007), “Students writing emails to faculty: An examination of e-politeness among native and non-native speaker of English”, in Language Learning & Technology, 11, 2, pp. 59-81.

Biesenbach-Lucas S., Weasenforth D. (2000), “Please help me”: L1/L2 variations in solicitations in electronic conferences, paper presented at the 20th Annual Second Language Research Forum (SLRF), Madison, WI.

Blue G. (1988), “Individualising academic writing tuition”, in Robinson P. C. (ed.), Academic writing: Process and product, ELT Documents 129, Modern English Publications, London, pp. 95-99.

Blum-Kulka S., House J., Kasper G. (1989), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies, Ablex, Norwood (N. J.)

Bonvillain N. (2018), Language, culture and communication. The meaning of messages, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham.

Boxer D. (2012), Applying sociolinguistics, John Benjamins, Amsterdam-Philadelphia.

Brown P., Levinson S. (1987), Politeness. Some Universals in Language Usage, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Chang Y., Hsu Y. (1998), “Requests on e-mail: A cross-cultural comparison”, in RELC Journal, 29, pp. 121-151.

Chen Chi-Fen E. (2006), “The development of e-mail literacy: from writing to peers to writing to authority figures”, in Language Learning & Technology, 10, 2, pp. 35-55.

Ciliberti A., Anderson L. (1999), Le forme della comunicazione accademica. Ricerche linguistiche sulla didattica universitaria in ambito umanistico, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Cummins J. (1980), “Psychological assessment of immigrant children: Logic or intuition?”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1, pp. 97-111.

Desideri P., Tessuto G. (2011), Il discorso accademico. Lingue e pratiche disciplinari, Quattroventi, Urbino.

Drew P., Heritage J. (1992), “Analyzing Talk at Work: An Introduction”, in Paul Drew P., Heritage J. (eds.), Talk at Work, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 3-65.

Economidou-Kogetsidis M. (2008), “Internal and external mitigation in interlanguage request production: the case of Greek learners of English”, in Journal of Politeness Research: Language, Behaviour, Culture, 4, 1, pp. 111-138.

Economidou-Kogetsidis M. (2009), “Interlanguage request modification: the use of lexical/phrasal downgraders and mitigating supportive moves”, in Multilingua, 28, 1, pp. 79-112.

Economidou-Kogetsidis M. (2012), “Modifying oral requests in a foreign language. The case of Greek Cypriot learners of English”, in Economidou-Kogetsidis M., Woodfield H. (eds.), Interlanguage Request Modification, John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp. 163-202.

Faerch C., Kasper G. (1989), “Internal and external modification in interlanguage request realization”, in Blum-Kulka S., House J., Kasper G. (eds.), Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: Requests and Apologies, Ablex, Norwood (NJ), pp. 221-247.

Félix-Brasdefer J. C. (2012), “E-mail requests to faculty: E-politeness and internal modification”, in Economidou-Kogetsidis M., Woodfield H. (eds), Interlanguage Request Modification, John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp. 87-118.

Ferrara A. (1985), “Pragmatics”, in Van Dijk T. A. (ed.), Handbook of discourse analysis, Academic Press, London, pp. 137-157.

Fiorentino G. (2015), “Aspetti problematici del discorso accademico: un’analisi dei riassunti delle tesi di laurea”, in Cuadernos de filologìa italiana, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid.

Fowler R., Hodge B., Kress G., Trew T. (1979), Language and control, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.

Goffman E. (1967), Interaction Ritual, Doubleday Publisher, Garden City.

Hassall T. (2001), “Modifying requests in a second language”, in International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching (IRAL), 39, pp. 259-283.

Hassall T. (2003), “Requests by Australian learners of Indonesian”, in Journal of Pragmatics, 35, pp. 1903-1928.

Hendriks B. (2010), “An experimental study of native speaker perception of non-native request modification in e-mails in English”, in Intercultural Pragmatics, 7, 2, pp. 221-255.

House J., Kasper G. (1987), “Interlanguage pragmatics: requesting in a foreign language”, in Lörscher W., Schulze R. (eds.), Perspectives on Language in Performance 2, Gunter Narr, Tubingen, pp. 1250-1288.

Hulstijn J. (2015), Language proficiency in native and non-native speakers. Theory and research, John Benjamins, Amsterdam.

Lee C. (2004), “Written requests in emails sent by adult Chinese learners of English”, in Language, Culture, and Curriculum, 17, 1, pp. 58-72.

MacWhinney B. (2000), The CHILDES Project: Tools for Analyzing Talk (3rd Edition), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ.

Marocchini E., Rapetti F. (2018), La prospettiva pragmatica in L2, poster presentato al XVIII Congresso Internazionale dell’Associazione Italiana di Linguistica Applicata, Università degli Studi di Roma Tre, 22-24 febbraio 2018, Roma.

Moretti B. (2011), “I fondamenti del formale”, in Cerruti M., Corino E., Onesti C. (a cura di), Formale e informale, Carocci, Roma, pp. 57-67.

Nuzzo E. (2007), Imparare a fare cose con le parole. Richieste, proteste, scuse in italiano lingua seconda, Guerra Edizioni, Perugia.

Nuzzo E., Santoro E. (2017), “Apprendimento, insegnamento e uso di competenze pragmatiche in italiano L2/LS: la ricerca a partire dagli anni Duemila”, in EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages, 4, 2, pp. 1-27.

Otcu B., Zeyrek D. (2008), “Development of requests: a study of Turkish learners of English”, in Puetz M., Neff-van A. (eds.), Contrastive Pragmatics: Interlanguage and Cross-cultural Perspectives, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 265-300.

Olshtain E., Cohen A. (1983), “Apology: a speech act set”, in Wolfson N., Judd E. (eds.), Sociolinguistics and language acquisition, Newbury House, Rowley, pp. 18-36.

Ochs E., Schieffelin B. B. (1984), “Language acquisition and socialization: three developmental stories”, in Shweder R. A., LeVine R. A. (eds.), Culture theory: Essays on mind, self, and emotion, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 276-320.

Orletti F. (2000), La conversazione diseguale. Potere e interazione, Carocci, Roma.

Pan Ping C. (2012), “Interlanguage requests in institutional e-mail discourse”, in Economidou-Kogetsidis M., Woodfield H. (eds.), Interlanguage request modification, John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp. 119-161.

Searle J. R. (1976), Expression and meaning: Studies in the theory of speech acts, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. (Trad. it., “Per una tassonomia degli atti illocutori”, in Sbisà M. [a cura di], Gli atti linguistici, Feltrinelli, Milano, pp. 168-198).

Tracy K., Carjuzaa J. (1993), “Identity enactment in intellectual discussion”, in Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 12, 3, pp. 171-194.

Trosborg A. (1995), Interlanguage pragmatics: Requests, complaints, and apologies, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin.

Wingate U. (2015), Academic Literacy and Student Diversity: The Case of Inclusive Practice, Multilingual Matters, Bristol.

Woodfield H. (2008), “Problematising discourse completion tasks: voices from verbal report”, in Evaluation & Research in Education, 21, 1, pp. 43-69.

Woodfield H., Economidou-Kogetsidis M. (2010), “‘I just need more time’: A study of native and non-native students requests to faculty for an extension”, in Multilingua, 29, 1, pp. 77-118.

Published

2024-06-23

Issue

Section

ITALIANO LINGUA SECONDA/STRANIERA